posted on Jan, 26 2004 @ 06:46 PM
Chapter Nine: First Blood
Deus padded up the stairs, feet beginning to go numb. His scabbard attached to his pants through a belt loop, he walked into the bustling command
center. Everyone around him moved frantically, but Lysergic was nowhere to be seen.
� The Captain�s headed up to check to the rad levels, sergeant.�
�Okay. Got a place for me to crash?�
�You can check the bunks down on sixth, but I promise nothing. How you holding up?�
�Fine, TDH. How�s things from the top?�
�Okay, I guess. Damn flunkies came and woke me up for this #. You�re apparently the man of the hour. �
�Yeah, so I can use my head when need be. I�m comfortable up there.�
�So I see.�
Lysergic then walked in, Geiger counter slung over one shoulder.
�Nothin�. Barest traces of radiation.�
�I�m going back up. Night, everyone.�
Just as DE crossed the threshold out the door, something began to beep. He wearily poked his back into the room. The cameras watching the entrance to
the compound flashed single frames of trucks and cars rolling in. TheDemonHunter looked alarmed.
�Why are you still here? Arm up and get up there!�
�Just me? I�ma need at least three squads of men to hold them off if they decide they want to attack!�
�Lysergic, get him his men, but you have to stay here and co-ordinate things. If they get past DeusEx, then you�ve got to have a second line
ready.�
�Got it, surr.�
Adrenaline shot through DE as he vaulted down the stairs. Energy shot through bone-weary muscles. John was, once again, sleeping in his chair. Deus
pounded on the bars fo the cage.
�Wakey wakey, John! I need two mags for my pistol, a box of shells for my shotgun and the shotgun. Oh, and if you can slip one to me, one of the flak
jackets too.�
�What the # is going on now?�
�Dunno, but it looks like it�s a fight.�
Other began walking in, rubbing their eyes. JB was up on his feet, moving as fast as he could. Throwing down everything DE requested on the counter,
he stumped off to find everyone else�s weapons. Undoing his shoulder holster to slip on the vest, he observed as several other collected and received
their weapons. Most of them were hunting rifles and shotguns, with a few pistols interspaced among them. One thirtysomething woman had grabbed the SAW
captured earlier.
People collected around him, looking up to him as the only armored person about. Deus busily strapped on the vest, jammed the clip and box of ammo
into his pants, and threw his holster clumsily around his shoulders as he waddled into a run, everyone behind him. He barked orders as he panted and
climbed his way up the stairs. Saucerat joined him, squad in tow.
The ATS troopers spread out across the first floor just as the convoy of pickups, SUVs and cars rolled to a stop. Angry, yelling people climbed out,
waving firearms of all types and varieties. DE crouched near the spot of his famous ambush, feeding shells into his Nova�s magazine. Seven feet to his
right, Saucerat worked the bolt on his rifle. People scurried for cover. One, a squad leader with a lever-action rifle, jammed the barrel through a
window, breaking it. DE groaned internally- now the house was going to be drafty. He gestured towards the shorter man, cocking his shotgun. He took
notice, and ran over.
�What�s your name?�
�Ranger, sir.�
�Oh, hey! Nice seeing you, even if this isn�t the best time for it. Take a few of the men with a good scopes and rifle up top, and see if you can take
the chick with the M249 with you. If the shooting starts, you can pick and choose targets. Plus, I want you to radio me to see the positions of all
those suckers. You�re in charge of everything up there, got it?�
�Sure, chummer.�
Deus peeked through some curtains. The convoy was set up perpendicular to the house to provide cover. Men with rifles and shotgun pointed them across
battered hoods or up at distant windows.
�HEY IN THERE!� came a shout.
�Umm...yeah?� responded DeusEx.
�We want in! Let us in, or else!�
�Can�t we talk about this?�
�Not while you�re in there, and we�re out here getting microwaved!�
�Well, really, this house isn�t any safer than out there, you know.�
�Shut up! You have until the count of three to give up and let us in, or we start shooting!�
DeusEx�s grip tightened on his weapon.
�We don�t want this to go down like this!�
�One!�
He hear the clicks of safeties going off nearby. Prayers were muttered under people�s breath.
�Two!�
�Ranger,� Deus whispered, �How many of them are there compared to us?�
�Two to one, sir.�
�Damn.� DeusEx shook. He took a deep breath and took aim, trying to keep as low as possible.
�THREE!�
DeusEx�s pleas for peace were drowned out by the crack of rifles and blasts of shotguns. He fired his own weapon, shattering the window and tearing up
the hood of a pickup. The fire whipped around, perforating the rooms and blowing out windows. Above him, he heard the SAW begin to fire.
�Fire and manuever!� he screamed. Bullets crashed through he door, showering him with shrapnel. He cocked him weapon, and fired again, rolled towards
the living room where Gothique was bobbing up and down form behind a couch. He stood and fired as he ran towards her, trying to be the hero. His
shotgun was empty by the time he reached her. He had a cut on her arm from the glass flying around. �#!� he swore to himself. He had left his box of
shells by the door. It had been tipped over by the volume of fire sent in the direction.
Kept moving, heading back after make sure she was fine. Saucerat was writhing in pain, a large shard of wood embedded in his thigh. At the sight of
his best friend bleeding there, Deus changed directions. Throwing lead through several windows and emptied his clip and hit the release. He felt
something collide with his vest, sending him flying over an armoire. He struggled to breathe for a few minutes before sliding over towards his friend
on his stomach. He dragged Sauce by the arm out of the line of fire before reloading.
�#ing sons of BITCHES!�
�You okay?�
�DO I #ING LOOK OKAY?�
�Fine. Stay here, and keep calm. I need to finish this up.�
Deus could no longer hear the sound of the SAW going in the background. Above the gunfire, eh could hear order outside, boots pounding towards the
door. The emptied his second pistol mag through it, and he thought he heard several screams and a gurgle as a result. Reloading and on his last mag,
he looked around. A few of his people were wounded. He was just about reach for his radio when he head the blast of a shotgun and was thrown through
the air. Then, there was only darkness...
DE